In The Desert A Red Rose Blooms
by Morrighen
Summary: Maria Hill, or more widely known as Captain Jack Hill, a woman who disguised herself as a man to fight in a war that was anything but civil. Natasha Romanoff is the owner and operator of a saloon and brothel in the west of America when it was still new and full of danger and adventure.
1. Chapter 1

~Summer of 1870~

It was hot. Not just hot, but 'hotter than two rats making love in a wool sock' hot. Whoever thought the desert was a good place to build anything obviously had a death wish or was a masochist. Maria Hill had been riding her poor grey mare as easy as possible for the past week and a half. Odd jobs didn't make enough money for replacing worn out horses. The odd jobs made enough money to support her drinking problem, but not enough to settle anywhere for long.

Maria had been a captain in the Union army during the war that would be called Civil but was anything but. She had disguised herself well enough as Jack Hill. There were more women than most would have realized that had done the same. Even now Marisa still dressed in mens clothes and kept her hair pulled back in a loose ponytail at the base of her neck.

Since the end of the war, she had been wandering. She felt those 5 years acutely with the ache of her body in the saddle. She needed to find an inn and a bottle to silence the demons.

The next town didn't come quite soon enough. Two days later her poor grey mare couldn't carry Maria any further. It was late so she stayed with the mare through the night and in the morning the mare could stumble along but still couldn't carry Maria. She was patient with the horse, muttering an "It's okay, girl." or an "Easy does it.". She would sooth the tired horse with a pet occasionally. She walked for another day and a half slowly with the horse and she saw a town in the distance. They should be there by evening fall. They entered the outskirts right before the sun set and she found a place to board the mare and the stable keeper directed the illustrious Jack Hill to the closest inn. Maria was glad the nearest inn also appeared to be a saloon. She was tired and dirty from her latest trek but with the ache in her body, whiskey was the only way she was going to be able to sleep.

She headed over and the noise from inside told her it was a busy establishment. Maria's brow furrowed. She looked down at herself, her duster coat was worn but it didn't look too dirty and her waistcoat had seen better days but was still presentable, same with her trousers. She could stop for a bottle before heading up to a room.

She pushed the door open and surveyed the room quickly. It was nicer than she expected, a lot of things drenched in luxuriant red tones of fabric, and she felt abashedly under dressed. She reached up to take her officers slouch hat from her dusty head to tuck it underneath her arm and made her way over to the bar. Her eyes settled on a young woman with long curly red hair standing behind the bar wearing a red corset and ample black skirts. She had a bored expression until she noticed Maria coming up to order.

"May I have a bottle of whiskey and a room, if you've one available, please." She smiled politely at the bartender.

The young woman quirked a well sculpted eyebrow at her. "My, my, manners?" She lifted the back of her hand to her forehead and mocked a swoon. "Out here in fuck all nowhere? I'm shocked." She laughed breathily, her red curls bouncing. "Of course, handsome." The bartender gave a quick wink and turned to grab a new bottle of whiskey and a key from the wall.

Most of the patrons hadn't even looked up from their card games or drinks but a couple of men, one scraggly and one scruffy, in the corner saw Maria when she walked in and pointed at her hat under her arm. They drunkenly got up and began to make their way over.

"So stranger, anything else I can help you with? I have a nice selection of companions if you're feeling lonely as well." She seemed to purr. Maria was about to decline the 'companion' offer and ask about a bath house when she saw the bartender's eyes darken.

"You think…" A voice hiccuped behind her and a chair was knocked over. "You can bring your…" The voice hiccuped again. "...Ugly mug here, yankee?" The hiccuping voice finished. Maria placed her hat on the counter and turned to face the owner of the voice.

"I'm not here for trouble." She said plainly and low. She had a gun on her belt, hidden by her coat, but she preferred not to use it.

"You got trouble the moment you stepped in here.." The scraggly man sneered. "... _Captain._ " He spit on her boots.

Maria looked around and everyone was looking up at the commotion now. Her eyes focused back on the two drunk men in front of her. "One more time, then. I'm not here for trouble." She warned, keeping her voice low. "Go back to your drinks. The war is over." She spoke carefully, keeping her emotions even. The last thing she needed to do was end up in another bar fight or spend the night in a jail cell.

The scraggly man squared up to Maria. "I bet you was one of those officers that hid behind his men. Sittin' pretty while they bled and died." The man's chest heaved in anger.

Well so much for not getting angry. That was something Maria never put up with. She wouldn't allow anyone to slander how much she had cared for the soldiers under her command. She rolled her shoulder and steadied her breathing. She wouldn't let that drunkard know he got to her. "One last time boys…" She turned as if to go back to speaking with the bartender. "Go on back to your table and sit your asses down before someone gets hurt."

That was all the scraggly man needed and he took a wild swing at Maria. She easily leaned out of the way of the shot and he yowled as his fist collided with the sturdy bar top. The scruffy man tried to jump in behind his friend as he was greeted with Maria's elbow connecting with the bridge of his nose, instantly a steady stream of blood dripped over the front of him. His hands immediately shot up to hold his busted nose and he whimpered, cowering back and away. The scraggly man growled as he tried to swing wildly at Maria again. She leaned again as his fist swooshed past. She stepped easily backwards towards the door, daring him to follow. As she passed the scruffy man, she grabbed the back of his shirt and dragged him with her out the door. The saloon didn't need her to half destroy it teaching the drunks a lesson.

Maria dropped the scruffy man's shirt and let him lie whimpering on the ground. The scraggly man took the bait and bull rushed out of the bar at full speed, thinking his size would win him the day. She sidestepped and his face contorted in rage as he toppled over when he tried to redirect at the last moment. Before he could even think of what to do next, Maria was upon him. She brought back her arm, ready to pound the scraggly man into the ground but she restrained herself from making a bloody mess of his head. She hooked her fist as she came down and connected with his temple. He stopped moving as he was cleanly knocked out. The only movement from him was his ragged breathing anyone close by could hear.

Maria looked up from her quick handiwork. She wasn't proud of herself, but she kept it from escalating further. It could have been much worse. She cursed herself. Every town she had been to, things had gone about the same way; some drunks get mad and she kicks their asses, or sometimes she gets a good kicking too, but still manages to come out on top. But it ends the same. She has to leave, most of the time, not by choice.

Maria turned back towards the saloon and the bartender was standing there looking rather smug. "Well, you certainly know how to make an impression." She clapped her hands. "Come on back in cowboy." The redhead winked at Maria before she turned to a woman who must have been one of the 'companions' she had alluded to a little while prior. "Go get the old sheriff. If he can manage to hobble over, he'll want to lock these boys up for the night." The woman nodded and ran off.

She whirled around and addressed the crowd that had trickled out to see the fight. "Tweedledee and Tweedledumb here are banned and if I see you within 100 feet of my business…" The redhead didn't say anything more towards the two drunks, she just smiled and her eyes gleamed in the dim light with something Maria hadn't seen in a long time and she couldn't quite place at that moment. "Now, go back to your drinks, card games, and other activities." She waved her hand to dismiss the crowd.

The redhead turned back to Maria and looked her over once. She waited until her patrons had returned inside to say anything more. "So who do I have to thank for keeping my bar intact?" She said moving closer to Maria.

Maria cleared her throat, edging away from the redhead a little. She hesitated. "Jack Hill." She replied after a moment. She felt the rough skin of her own hand and offered it to be shaken.

The redhead laughed breathily again. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, _Jack._ " Her tone alluded to something Maria couldn't pinpoint. "Natalie." Her name sounded like velvet. "Natalie Rushman; owner and operator of this fine establishment behind us, the Vermilion Rose." Natalie took Maria's hand and gave a gentle shake. Her hands were incredibly soft and gentle against Maria's own rough and worn.

She smiled at Maria a smile that made the taller woman want to squirm under the gaze, but she remained outwardly impassive. Maria's jaw clenched and she removed her hand from Natalie's soft grip. Natalie looked like she was about to say something else when the girl she sent to fetch the sheriff returned, an old shuffling man in tow.

He shuffled over to the men on the ground and gave them a look over. Maria couldn't believe this was the town's sheriff. He looked old enough to be someone's great grandfather. "Well Miss Rushman, you certainly keep me on my toes." He chuckled lightheartedly. "A night in a cell should sober 'em pretty good." Natalie smiled at him warmly, but in a different manner than how she had smiled at Maria.

He looked back down at them and seemed to ponder how to get them both to the jail down the street. Maria cleared her throat again and the man startled up at her. "I'll help you, sir." She didn't wait for the old man to respond. She bent over to take the scraggly man and managed to pull him up over her shoulders. "Where to?" The old man seemed shocked but he recovered quickly and pointed to a building halfway up the street with a light glowing in the window. She nodded and carried the man to where she had been directed.

Inside the building there were three closed cells and one with an open door with a key in the lock. She took the initiative and tossed the man unceremoniously onto the floor in the cell. Maria closed the door and locked the cell so there was no chance he could escape if he happened to wake. She set the key on the old dusty desk and went to retrieve the scruffy man with the broken nose. She met the old man shuffling back with the scruffy man in cuffs. She was able to get a good look at his now disfigured nose. She had crushed the bridge of his nose, leaving a mass of bloodied tissue where a nose had been, a shadow of the large bruise was forming around and under his eyes. Maria felt a little satisfaction at seeing this. She was still sharp in her skills. She had always preferred hand-to-hand combat over guns. That wasn't to say she wasn't a good shot, but she liked being underestimated.

Even disguised as a man, she wasn't a large 'man'. Captain Jack Hill was a lean muscled guy with a squared jaw and a baby face that still couldn't grow any facial hair. It earned him the nickname "Babyface Jack" but he always took the teasing well. He wasn't a very tall man coming up a bit under 6', but he wasn't the shortest either.

Maria followed the old sheriff and the scruffy man back to the jail and retrieved the key she had set on the desk. She opened the cell for the old man and watched carefully as the man was led in and the old man released him from the cuffs. Before the old man locked the cell she stopped him and motioned the man over. He cowered a little but it he did as he was told.

"This will hurt, but you'll likely appreciate it later on." Before the man could respond she had reached up and set his nose as best as could be expected. He howled again in pain and fell to his knees. When she turned back to the old man after the cell was locked, he was smiling at her.

"Mighty fine work you did there. Law keepers have to get their hands dirty every now and again and I'm too old to do much of it anymore." He patted her shoulder after he spoke. "Your name is Jack, right? Miss Rushman told me while you were bringing the big fella back here." Maria nodded and the old man mimicked it back at her. "Jack, if you would come see me tomorrow when you have a free minute, I would much appreciate it. It's getting too late for all that now." The old sheriff shook her hand and she left him to his work. Maria headed back towards the saloon.

A few minutes later she was pushing the through the front door again. She chuckled to herself when she looked across to the bar to see Natalie wearing her captains slouch hat. For a moment she thought that she liked how it looked on her but she scoffed at herself and walked back over to the bar. Her brain had to be fried from the sun. Natalie looked up from her dish washing to see Maria and a mischievous smirk smeared across her lips.

"Good of you to join us, Captain." She gave a little salute with that familiar gleam in her eye as she set the bottle and a key on the countertop, sliding them over to Maria.

The taller woman's brow furrowed. "Just Jack." She said plain and low. She reached into her pocket and pulled out all of the money to her name and looked at Natalie. "How much do I owe you, ma'am?"

"Ma'am? Oh, handsome Jack, I'm no ma'am." She laughed. "Madame, perhaps." She quirked her lips into an amused smirk and she leaned against the countertop on her elbows, pressing her breasts together in her corset. "You may have been the unwitting object of their ire, but you kept those goons from causing a lot more damage and that would have cost far more than a bottle of whiskey. It's yours and the room is yours to use as long as you'd like it." Natalie's lips parted slightly as she looked at Maria with those green eyes that any man could get lost in, but of course, Maria wasn't any man.

Maria smiled tightly at Natalie and looked at the key on the counter. A golden '6' was scrawled on a red tag attached to the pewter skeleton key. She made a grab for the key and Natalie caught her hand. "Are you sure I can't find you some company for tonight?" She asked, still looking into Maria's blue eyes without breaking the contact. The redheads thumb rubbed lightly over Maria's knuckle.

Her mouth went dry. It felt like Maria's heart was beating in her throat and she couldn't swallow it away. She had always made it a point that any woman never had any sway over her. But Natalie wasn't any woman. She pulled her hand back with the key and pocketed it. She immediately missed the feel of Natalie's skin on hers. "I'm sure, thank you." She half-croaked past the cotton in her mouth.

Natalie's expression dropped almost imperceptibly but it was quickly replaced with an impassive look and she nodded her understanding. She took the hat from her head and plopped it down on Maria's quickly. "Your room is through that door.." She pointed to a door near the other end of the bar top. "...up the stairs and to the right. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask, _handsome_." The redhead spoke only loud enough for Maria to hear her. The brunette nodded and she took the bottle of whiskey and retreated to the door that was pointed out to her.


	2. Chapter 2

~The Vermilion Rose; 1870~

After she passed through the door and it swung closed she let out a shuddered sigh. Natalie affected her like no other person in Maria's 30 years had. Sure, she'd had her own sordid affairs at one time or another, but they hadn't brought about this sort of response. Maria wasn't sure if she wanted to romance Natalie or fuck her senseless...maybe both.

No, she put that life behind her when she chose to join the military as a man. She put behind her the days of fooling around in secret with the repressed young women in her town, dreading their 'profitable' marriages with men they didn't know.

How that seemed like a lifetime ago now.

It had been nearly 10 years since that last affair. The girl had been a young heiress with time to kill and a husband who sought other women's company more often than her own. Maria had been the perfect distraction for nearly a year.

Maria shook herself from her memories and continued down the hall to the stairs. She was imagining things. She had been out in the heat for too long or maybe it had just been too long since she'd taken a pretty woman to bed. She sighed again and located the room with a golden '6' on the door. She pulled the pewter key from her pocket and tried the lock. She heard the click of the locking mechanism and she pushed the door open. Maria muttered a verbal "Oh" when she looked in on her new accommodations. The room was much nicer than Maria could have ever hoped. There was a large plush looking bed and bureau to the left, a dressing table to the right and a wooden room divider. There was a large curtained window that opened up to a portion of the roof, perfect for stargazing. She moved into the room and closed the door behind her. Behind the divider there was a large tub of steaming water ready for Maria and a note on the end table next to the bed.

' _Captain Jack,_

 _I figured since you got your hands dirty for me, getting you clean was the least I could do. Please enjoy._

 _\- Natalie xx'_

A shiver ran up Maria's spine. Not from fear but the strange heat that settled in her stomach at the words. She set the note aside and turned back to the bathtub. She noticed a robe folded neatly on the chair next to the bureau and decided a bath took precedence over everything else at that moment. Maria took her duster and hat and hung them from a hook near the door. She removed her waistcoat, shirt, and trousers that seemed to be cemented on her body from the dust and sweat. She then carefully removed the cloth wrapping she used as a binding and folded it, setting it with the rest of her dirty garments.

Maria sank herself down into the soothingly hot water that began to eat away at the ache in her muscles. There was a bar of soap on the ledge and she began scrubbing her skin as briskly as she could tolerate. After a while of scrubbing and soaking, she was sufficiently clean feeling for the first time in a month. She eventually left the tub and wrapped herself in the robe. While she waited for her hair to dry some, she opened the whiskey and took a long drink. The warmth from the whiskey filled her extremities and the ache started to fade even more. She sat in the quiet for about an hour sipping from the bottle waiting for the ache to dull to a whisper. The sun had been down for a couple of hours when she corked the bottle and made her way to the bed before she fell forward, passing out on top of the covers. Her sleep was dreamless and the best rest she'd had in recent memory.

* * *

Maria didn't wake up until past noon the next day. When she did, she stretched and gauged her overall feeling. She rolled and swung her legs over the side of the bed, setting her feet down gingerly on the carpet. Her body still ached, but nowhere near the way it had the night prior. She was pleasantly surprised. After the surprise wore off, she took to getting dressed. She had a change of clothes in the small bag she carried with her. She had always preferred to travel light; one set of clothes to wear and then one to wash when she had the resources.

She pulled out the clean binding and set to her preparation. Soon she was neatly attired in brown trousers, navy blue waistcoat, and cream colored button up and her hair tied back neatly as she was wont to do. When she looked in the mirror she was sufficiently pleased with her appearance. Maria thought it was funny how easily a change of clothes and a bath could make her feel like a whole new person.

She decided to head downstairs and go see that sheriff like he had requested. She left the room and locked it behind her, and headed down the stairs towards the bar. When she pushed through the door, Natalie was already behind the bar restocking the various bottles of liquor. Her red hair was tied up to keep it from getting in her way. When she heard the door close, she looked up and offered Maria a smile.

"Afternoon, sleepyhead. Enjoy the present I sent up?" She asked turning her body towards Maria. The brunette thought the shorter woman was even prettier in the light of day, her green eyes smiling with her. It was a genuine smile. Maria hadn't seen a genuine smile directed solely at her since before the war.

Maria moved closer to the bar but kept her eyes on the floor. "Yes. I wanted to thank you. That helped more than I can express." Maria spoke in a soft tone. "Thank you, Miss Rushman." Natalie looked at her, a bit puzzled and walked out from behind the counter and stood in front of Maria. The redhead studied her face for a few moments and Maria could feel her cheeks begin to heat up. She looked around and made certain no one else was around before she spoke again. "Why?" Natalie finally said.

"Why, what?" Maria replied, not sure what she meant.

Natalie chuckled. "Why to a lot of things. But presently, why do you hide it?" She had no tone of accusation. "I understand for joining the military. I have an employee here who had done the same. But why now?"

Maria knew now what Natalie meant. Natalie had guessed Maria was a woman. "I-I'm not sure what you mean." She tried to hide her nervousness but the redhead was making it hard with those eyes. _Does she really have an employee who had done the same?_ So many things were running through Maria's head.

When there was no further response, she chuckled softly again "That's okay, I understand, I'm just curious." She spoke gently and her smile was anything but judgemental. "The short version for Margaret is that she did it to be able to marry her sweetheart."

Maria laughed somewhat out of place and pointed over her shoulder with her thumb. Her mouth went dry again. It was the second time intriguing woman had done this to her. She spun on her heel and rushed out of the saloon as fast as her long legs could carry her and headed for the jailhouse.

* * *

Natalie watched her go without another word and let out a sigh. She knew she had scared the brunette. She had to have been losing her touch. It had been a while since any new women had come to town. It was mostly outlaws, single men, and the occasional deserter from the army that passed through the out-of-the-way town. But the women that came to the town were all running from something.

She had offered the unsolicited secret about her employee Margaret to show she meant well. She hoped Hill would realize that soon. She would need to take her time with _Jack Hill._ The captain had to have reasons for remaining hidden as a man after the military. What was she hiding from?

Natalie found herself wanting to know more about the person behind those blue eyes and dapper appearance.

 _Those electrifying blue eyes..._

* * *

Maria's heart raced as she walked to her destination. Natalie had guessed she was a woman. How? There were only three people who knew Jack Hill was a woman. There was a couple of women that she had met in the military and Maria's best friend from when she was growing up; Phillip Coulson. The three disguised women had helped each other from blowing their covers. Phil had joined the military with Maria but had gone to be a Jessie scout rather than calvary. He had been like an older brother to Maria but she hadn't seen since the end of the war.

Maria wasn't sure what Natalie wanted but very rarely had people done her any favors for free. What was Natalie's motivation? Running from her demons had left Maria a bit skeptical of everyone, even those who might genuinely want to help. That was one of the reasons she never went back home. She wouldn't be the reason anyone was hurt ever again.

A few minutes later, she was knocking on the jailhouse door. The old sheriff could be heard shuffling around and she heard a raspy "Come in!". She let herself in and nodded at the old man. "You asked to see me, sir?" She gave a forced smile.

He looked up at her from a stack of mugshots on the desk. "Thank you for humoring an old man, Jack." He smiled. "I never introduced myself before. My name is William Jones. I've been sheriff of this town for, oh, damned near 40 years." He sighed deeply. "My wife wants me to retire. Hell, I can't even really do the work anymore. The locals here are mostly trying to be nice." That was when Maria noticed how tired he really looked and her brow furrowed. "You seem like a capable, good-hearted young man. Tired of wandering, maybe looking for a wife and a home? Well, I know this is sudden and a lot to ask, but I wanted to see if you'd consider taking my place." Old William looked at her with hope in his eyes. "I'll be 75 years old soon." And he looked every day of it in that pleading moment. "I can't do it anymore. Those drunks reminded me of that in a painful way. This town deserves someone who can truly keep the peace. Things have gotten rough around but people hardly tell the ol' sheriff anymore." He spread out the stack of mugshots across the desk and stared at them.

Maria watched the old man with sadness in her heart. He knew he was basically a joke to the townsfolk. They didn't mean for him to be, but it all turned up the same in the end. Maria wouldn't let the old man be a joke any longer. "I'll do it." Maria said firmly.

William looked up at Maria and his eyes glistened with unfallen tears. "Really?..." He tried not to sound too hopeful.

Maria's smile was more natural this time. "Yes, sir. Really."

They spent the next couple of hours going over specifics. There was an apartment above the jailhouse that would be given to Maria for a living space. It needed some work, but William was going to have it taken care of. In the meantime she would continue to reside at the Vermilion Rose until the repairs were complete. She would have a wage paid twice month and William forwarded her a stipend for some expenses. He said it would be announced at the next town hall at the end of the week and she would start Monday.

The first stop Maria made was to the tailor. She picked up two new sets of clothes for the time being and a new short brim dark brown leather hat.

About 4 hours after she had left the saloon, she was returning, a couple of packages in tow. Natalie wasn't behind the bar this time, it was the girl she had sent to fetch the sheriff the night before. Maria almost missed the pang of disappointment she felt at not seeing Natalie there. Almost.

Maria nodded at the woman as she walked past to the door, towards her room. She followed the hall back when she heard Natalie's voice speaking loudly behind a door near the stairs.

"God damn it, Clint. You fucked up royally this time. I can't believe you..." Natalie was angry with that Clint guy and her voice dripped with venom. Maria was glad she wasn't Clint. She didn't wait around to overhear anything more and she returned to her room.

She put the new sets of clothes away in the bureau so they were out of the way and looked at herself in the mirror. "Sheriff Hill, hmm…." She liked the sound of it. Maybe she could settle in this town. The old sheriff could have been right. Maybe not about all of it since she wasn't a normal "guy" but the thought was pleasant enough.

A while later she decided to see about a drink and some food. She headed down to the bar and took a stool at the bar top. The young woman from last night came over and smiled. "Hello. Jack, right?" She was british. Maria nodded. "I'm Peggy."

The British woman offered her hand and Maria shook it gently with "A pleasure to meet you, Peggy."

"We all saw what you did last night, thank you. Those morons were trouble from the moment they came in. You saved us a lot of headache. All of us appreciate it. Miss Natalie especially. Our bouncer was out of town until a little while ago and he said he wanted to thank you too. They should be out shortly. In the meantime, can I get you anything?" Peggy offered. Maria nodded and asked after whatever the kitchen might have prepared and a whiskey. A few minutes later Peggy brought her a large bowl of beef stew and some biscuits. Maria thanked her and dug into the hot meal.

Maria drank whiskey like it was water and Peggy poured her another when she had drained the glass. It had been a long time since her last decent meal, living mostly on hardtack and dried meat. She was so engrossed in her food that she didn't even register that Natalie had returned. The redhead was accompanied by a dirty blonde man, maybe Maria's age or a little older.

While Natalie returned behind the bar, he walked around and stood next to Maria. "Excuse me, Captain Jack Hill of the 1st Cavalry?" He spoke clearly. She sat up straight taking her eyes off of the food. She was embarrassed but she hid it well enough. This man knew her.

Maria wiped her mouth and hands on a napkin and looked over at him. "Yes?" She spoke slowly, hoping this wasn't going to go the same way as with the drunks the night before.

He smiled at her broadly and saluted. "Sharpshooter Clint Barton, sir. Your company saved my ass in 1864. Our boys casualties were minimal thanks to your call. We were stuck behind enemy lines and I never got to thank you. Thank you, sir." Clint stuck out his hand for Maria to shake. She was bit taken aback. She shook his hand and shook her head.

"I didn't do anything for thanks, Mr. Barton. I was doing my job." She spoke in the same low tone. "But, you're welcome. Glad I could help." Maria smiled at him. A real smile and he let go of her hand.

"I'm sorry, Captain. I disturbed your dinner. I apologize." He rubbed the back of his head, a bit ashamed of himself.

"No worries, Mr. Barton and please, just Jack." Maria pushed the bowl back some to signify that she was done. She picked the glass of whiskey up and downed it.

"Please, call me Clint, Jack." He spoke in an excited tone and she nodded at him. CLint looked up at Natalie and she was chuckling to herself and shaking her head.

"You're like a school boy with a crush, Barton. Cool it before you scare our new Sheriff off." At that, Maria looked up at Natalie with nothing but more questions plainly written on her features. Natalie smirked at her. "I may have suggested it to William. After watching you take care of those drunks last night, I knew I'd not seen a better candidate since I arrived here. You're still here, so I figure you accepted. Am I wrong?" Maria shook her head. She turned and went back to her work behind the counter, not paying any more attention to the pair at the bar.

Clint and Maria sat chatting and drinking for a while before he had to go to work. He worked for Natalie as a sort of bouncer when needed but he mostly played the piano. Clint bought Maria's drinks that night. She hadn't met anyone from her days in the military that actually appreciated her. She couldn't help but remember those who had died under her command on a mission gone south. No matter how many lives she may have helped save, it always outweighed the lives lost and taken. She drank to try to forget that. She still blamed herself.

Maria had been staring at her drink for a half an hour before Natalie said anything to her since that afternoon. "Something on your mind cowboy? Want to talk about it?" She offered only loud enough for Maria to hear.

Maria looked at her, eyes distant. Maria cleared her throat. "Just old demons. War makes people do things they regret. Some people regret more than others." She downed the drink she had been staring at and nodded for another. "I carry the blood of a lot of people on my hands." Maria happened a glance at Natalie and she was looking at her with something akin to understanding in those limitless green pools.. How could she understand? Her stomach flip-flopped as their eyes met.

"You live as the person who committed those sins to try to atone." Her voice was hollow and she swallowed. "Like you said, war makes people do things that they regret. But war makes people into someone else. You can't keep blaming yourself for protecting what you stood for." She added as she poured Maria another drink.

The brunette processed her words and shrugged. "Maybe. Maybe not…. I-I don't think I'll ever really know." Maria said slightly slurred as she lifted the glass to drain it again and set it gently on the counter. She stood up, wobbled slightly, but maintained her upright and standing position. "Goodnight, Miss Rushman." She murmured before walking towards the door.

She pushed through and groaned. She should have gotten drunk in her room like the night before. She hated navigating stairs when she was inebriated. She stood at the base of the stairs, looking up at them. "You challengin' me?" She was more drunk than she had originally anticipated. "I'll step on your face, stairs." She muttered. She hadn't even placed her hand on the bannister when she felt an arm snake around her waist and she stiffened.

Maria looked over and Natalie smirked up at her. Maria relaxed slightly. "Come on drunky. Let's get you to bed." She gave Maria a small squeeze about the waist and nudged her to move towards the stairs. Natalie was stronger than she looked and a few minutes later they were standing outside room '6'. The readhead fished the key out of Maria's trouser pocket and Maria held her breath. She wouldn't let the other woman hear her breath catch. Natalie unlocked the door and guided Maria to the bed, easing her down gently.

Maria's vision swam and the next thing she saw was Natalie holding a glass of water out to her. "Come on, have some." And Maria obeyed. Natalie smiled at her. That dazzling smile that made Maria think everything might be okay. She could feel the heat up her cheeks and she felt vulnerable under the piercing gaze. Natalie's eyes softened and she placed her hands on Maria's shoulders. "You probably won't remember this in the morning…" She whispered before she leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to Maria's lips. The brunette's vision darkened and the last thing she saw that night were those green eyes shining only for her.

In the morning Maria thought that had been a dream and she didn't mention it to Natalie. She was too embarrassed. She was to be the sheriff. She couldn't keep getting drunk like that. After that night, she truly began to conquer her demons; one step at a time.


End file.
